Part of Upstate Films’ Caribbean Mini-Fest.
We celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day by bringing the Caribbean to the Orpheum. Columbus first landed in U.S. territory in Salt River Bay, of bioluminescent splendor, on the northside of St. Croix, USVI, where he encountered the enslaved Taino and dominant Carib peoples. We often think of island life as simple—blue skies and pristine beaches come to mind. There are plenty of those, but as Cynthia McVay describes in her book about St. Croix, Under the Crucian Sun: A Memoir of Place, and as depicted in the classic Rockers (1978), islands are packed with complexity, born of centuries of layered colonialism, brutal history and cultures careening into one another.
Food and Music provided by Divinely Delicious Foods, which is on a mission to dismantle poverty, hunger, and social injustice by equipping individuals with the tools to reclaim their futures.
FREE at the door!
UNDER THE CRUCIAN SUN: A Memoir of Place
A multi-media book event
Under the Crucian Sun: A Memoir of Place, environmentalist and creative Cynthia McVay sets foot on the island of St. Croix in 2018 for the first time. She arrives with an adventurous partner and her heart set on purchasing and renovating an abandoned plantation house. Things do not go as planned. This collection of stories, essays, poetry with over 150 photos offers a personal portrayal of a coy, complex and layered island. At its heart, Under the Crucian Sun is a love story, an ode to the island of St. Croix and its many peoples. Whether you call St. Croix home or you are a visitor, you will relate to Cynthia’s journey. In both image and word, she captures St. Croix’s unique magic.
Caribbean Mini-Fest features a book talk with author, Cynthia McVay about her latest memoir, Under the Crucian Sun: A Memoir of Place with the Executive Director and co-founder of Divinely Delicious Foods, Tamika Sultan. Seasoned Gives will host a Caribbean food tent and music following the book talk on the sidewalk outside of the theatre, followed by a Sonic Wave screening, legendary reggae narrative/documentary, Rockers.
Book signing post reading
This project is made possible with funds from the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson.
Sponsored by Inquiring Minds Books
